The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks and gateways. The Internet includes a backbone of high-speed data communication lines between major nodes, consisting of thousands of commercial, government, educational, and other computer systems, that route data and messages. The WorldWide Web (the Web) is a collection of formatted hypertext pages located on numerous computer systems around the world that are logically connected by the Internet. The Web has become a valuable information resource.
Web browsers, software providing user interfaces to the Web, allow individuals to access Internet content from personal computers. Internet terminals, such as those pioneered by WebTV Networks, Inc., the assignee of the present invention, have made the Web accessible to an even larger segment of the population by providing Web access without a personal computer. Internet terminals (also commonly referred to as set-top boxes) provide Web access using an ordinary television (TV) set as a display and a remote control or wireless keyboard for user input.
FIG. 1 illustrates a basic configuration of a network 100 that includes Internet and broadcast-television components. Network 100 includes a pair of clients 110 and a receiver/client 112. Receiver/client 112 is so named because it operates both as a television receiver and as an Internet client. Hereafter, receiver/client 112 is referred to as receiver 112 for simplicity.
Clients 110 and receiver 112 are coupled to a modem pool 120 via direct-dial, bi-directional data connections 130, which may be telephone (POTS, i.e., “plain old telephone service”), cable, satellite forward channels, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), or any other similar type of connection. Modem pool 120 is typically coupled to a number of remote servers 140 via a network infrastructure, such as the Internet 160. An additional server 150 specifically supports receiver 112.
Clients 110 and receiver 112 communicate bi-directionally with servers 140 and 150 through modem pool 120 and the Internet 160. Modem pool 120 is typical of those found today throughout the world providing access to the Internet and private networks. In addition to communicating with servers 140 and 150, receiver 112 receives broadcast data and video from a broadcast television network 170 via, e.g., antennas 175. Broadcast television can be delivered using many mediums, including terrestrial (i.e., “over-the-air”) broadcast, cable transmission, satellite transmission, or computer networks.
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of receiver 112. Receiver 112 includes set-top box 200, an ordinary analog television set 210, and a remote control 220. Set-top box 200 may be integrated with television set 210. Television set 210 displays video data, including a graphical user interface, conveyed from set-top box 200 by a video link 230. Video link 230 is an RF (radio frequency), S-video, composite video, or other video link.
Set-top box 200 includes hardware and software for receiving and decoding a broadcast video signal 240, such as an NTSC, PAL, SECAM, or other TV system video signal, and for providing video data to the television set via video link 230. Set-top box 200 also includes hardware and/or software for providing a user with a graphical user interface 250 capable of displaying Web pages (e.g., HTML or XML pages) and broadcast video. User interface 250 can notify the user of the presence of encoded data embedded in the video signal. The notification may be audible, visual, or a combination of the two. For example, user interface 250 might temporarily display an icon in a portion of the screen.
Set-top box 200 may include both a standard modem and an ISDN modem, such that the communication link between set-top box 200 and server 150 (FIG. 1) can be either a telephone (POTS) connection 260 or an ISDN connection 270. Set-top box 200 receives power through a power line 280.
A user operates remote control 220 to control set-top box 200 in browsing the Web, sending e-mail, and performing other Internet-related functions. Set-top box 200 receives commands from remote control 220 via an infrared (IR) communication link 290. A keyboard (not shown) may also be included.